Summary
Combat in RPGs tends to get complicated. Player stats, movesets, and equipment must all be factored in and compared against the enemy’s own stats and abilities. When all goes well, it can result in truly engaging fights that blend action and strategy in perfect balance.
This diverse genre is full ofcountless different approaches to staying balancedand fair. Even minor tweaks to damage output and health pools can have some truly immense impacts. Here are some of the best RPGs on the market at delivering an experience that isn’t too hard or too easy.
Xenoblade Chroniclestakes a distinct approach to party-based RPGs, leaning on inspiration from MMORPGs to present its characters with a range of abilities to be used in active, real-time battles with monsters seamlesslyintegrated throughout the game’s world. Characters can also prepare chain attacks to synergize with the rest of their party.
This distinctive approach to combat earnedXenoblade Chroniclesa lot of acclaim. Party members' movesets are varied enough that players can build them out in a lot of different ways, and there are multiple viable playstyles to pursue. Enemies are usually balanced well enough to provide a fair challenge without overwhelming players, though there are some overwhelmingly powerful monsters wandering the overworld that players can take on if they’re looking for a real challenge.
Skyrimreinvigorated the open world RPG genre when it launched in 2011, and despite its aggressive rereleases, it remains deeply influential.In order to keep battles manageable and engaging,most ofSkyrim’s enemies level alongside the player, scaling up in health and damage to accommodate the player’s enhanced gear and stronger abilities.
Balancing out this system are the select enemy types that do not scale.Giants, for instance, are fixedat a particularly high level, meaning players who are just starting out will almost always need to avoid them. This, in turn, makes them a rewarding challenge for those same players to pursue once they’ve built out their characters a bit.
TheFinal Fantasyfranchise has been an integral part of the RPG genre since the very beginning, andFinal Fantasy 7is a cornerstone of the series. The game features a party-based active time battle system, with gradually-increasing time gauges determining when players can take their turn. This distinct blend of turn-based and active combat keeps players on their toes, as they constantly look for opportunities to cut their foes off.
Special orbs known as Materia can upgrade characters with new skills and abilities, giving players numerous customization options throughout the game. The memorable combat encounters studded throughoutFF7’s legendary campaign give fans constant opportunities to test their loadouts and improve their characters.
7Baldur’s Gate 3
Roll The Dice
Baldur’s Gate 3took the world by storm in 2023 with its expansive and faithful recreation ofD&Dand its vast, immersive take on the Forgotten Realms. Just like in the tabletop game that inspired it, players can build out their characters by mixing a variety of classes and customizing them further with dozens of feats and spells.Magic items can also completely changethe flow of combat.
Versatility is key inBaldur’s Gate 3. In addition to the numerous character class options available for the player character and their party members, each fight can also be approached in numerous ways, from outright combat to stealth to diplomacy. Despite the immense number of variables in each encounter,Baldur’s Gate 3delivers a balanced and consistent adventure in one of fantasy’s most prominent settings.
TheMass Effecttrilogy deftly blends cover shootingwith RPG mechanics. Players can build up their squad over time, unlocking powerful new Biotic abilities and potent feats of gunplay that can help turn the tide in a tricky situation. While the trilogy’s inventory systems change pretty drastically over the course of the adventure, each game offers a wealth of new guns with better stats to ensure Shepard’s destructive power stays on par with the threats they need to take out.
Mass Effectis perhaps best remembered for its characters and relationships, but the shooting holds up too. There are plenty of standout combat encounters where players need to stay on their toes and think fast to keep the galaxy’s last hope from falling to a hail of bullets.
The Witcher 3gives players the chance to step into the shoes of Geralt of Rivia, a legendary monster hunter with potent supernatural abilities. The game isrich with imposing fantastical creaturesfor players to hunt, and they can be confident throughout that Geralt will be up to the task.
Players have a multitude of ways to enhance Geralt’s prowess on the field, from upgradable weapons to mutagenic potions that will enhance his senses and skills. The high-stakes thrills of the dangerous Witcher lifestyle are emulated exceptionally well in every hunt.
Persona 5 Royalis a massive JRPG, but one that delivers on virtually every level. Players must balance their social lives and schoolwork at Shujin Academy with a double life as a metaphysical bandit who enters the cognition of evildoers to change their hearts from within. As the story unfolds over more than a hundred hours of playtime, the secrets of this cognitive realm reveal themselves,drawing the protagonists ever deeper.
Despite the game’s titanic runtime, the difficulty progression is paced masterfully. Players will rarely find themselves overwhelmed if they stick to the critical path, and there are plentiful opportunities to bulk up their party through visits to Mementos, a strange cognitive labyrinth where the Phantom Thieves can battle weaker foes. There are a few secret challenge bosses for players to take on if they want to test their limits, but for the most part,Persona 5remains challenging and fair throughout.
FromSoftware’s Soulsborne games have a well-earned reputation for intense difficulty.Bloodborneis no exception. This blood-soaked gothic horror action RPG is full of terrifyingly deadly monsters, and for unprepared hunters, the experience will quickly prove overwhelming. But in spite of its deserved reputation, the game walks a razor-thin line between a fair challenge and a cruel punishment.
Each boss, while exceedingly difficult, is fair, and mechanics like the rally and parry systems encourage the aggressive playstyle thatBloodbornefavors. Those who are willing to play reactively and stay fast on their feet will be rewarded for their dedication with some of the best combat FromSoft has ever presented.
TheDragon Questfranchise is vital to the history of the RPG genre, andDragon Quest 11honors that history in every aspect of its length. This game is a perfect union of classic JRPG style and modern design sensibilities, resulting in an accessible title that remains every bit as engaging as the all-time classics.
Each party member inDragon Quest 11has a robust skill tree full of special moves and buffs for players to unlock over the course of its lengthy campaign. Characters can master swords and spellcraft, or experiment with more exotic options like whips and claws. The game is paced well enough that players will have ample time to play around with different combat styles without feeling overwhelmed or underleveled.
Obsidian’sFallout: New Vegasis considered by many to be the best game in the franchise, and with good reason. Rather than scaling the levels of all the enemies like its Bethesda counterparts,Fallout: New Vegastailors each enemy encounter for an ideal player level. This results in a dynamic world of varying threat levels. Particularly threatening areas feel more dangerous, and all the more rewarding once players are strong enough to take them on.
The map is dotted with regions where overwhelmingly strong enemies like Cazadors and Deathclaws lurk, but the world is large and varied enough that no matter what level the player is, there will always be regions and quests that will be appropriate to their challenge level. And, of course, these quests will yield more XP and more powerful weapons, letting players eventually master the Mojave.
